Early Life and Travel Beginnings
Born in France, my passion for travel began in my early 20s and never stopped. By 1994, I had settled in Thailand after travelling through more than 40 countries—many of them during times when international travel was far less accessible than it is today.
Travel Background
My most memorable journey began at 19 when I crossed the Sahara Desert in a Peugeot 504, travelling through Morocco, Algeria, Burkina Faso and Mali. After selling the car in Niger, I hitchhiked all the way back through the Sahara. Later, I lived and worked in the Bahamas, New Caledonia, Tahiti, and Japan. Other unforgettable trips include India, Greece, Turkey, Scotland, Italy, Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, and the Maldives.
I have always believed that experiencing the world first-hand is the best way to understand it. My appreciation for cultures and cuisine naturally led me to love the food of Thailand, Japan, Korea, France, and Italy. Food has always been an essential part of my travels.
Why Thailand?
I spent eight years as a set designer for Club Med, where I was responsible for building stages and designing sets for rotating shows in different countries. This career gave me the opportunity to live and work in many places around the world. In 1993, while working in Tahiti, I decided to explore Asia. I chose Thailand almost at random—planning to stay for only a couple of years—but I fell in love with the country. That was 30 years ago.
Starting a new life in Phuket
When I arrived in Phuket, I had no job, little money, and no connections. I stayed at a small guesthouse in Patong Beach and wrote letters to every hotel in Phuket. Eventually, I got a job as a Guest Relations Officer at the newly opened Banyan Tree Resort in Bangtao. My salary was 12,000 baht, and street food became part of my daily life.
While working at the hotel by day, I designed logos for local businesses at night, especially diving centres. Within a year, my design work surpassed my hotel income, and I launched my own company, Andaman Graphics, specialising in logos and website design. This led to an invitation to join Asia Web Direct, where I helped develop popular travel websites like Phuket.com and Bangkok.com. Expedia later acquired the company, and I stayed on, gaining deep experience in UX and SEO over two decades.
Creating Phuket 101
Phuket 101 was born out of a desire to share my experiences and insights with other travellers. At the time, many websites about Phuket were either too formal, hard to navigate, or too niche. I wanted to create a guide that was helpful, visually appealing, and easy to understand, based on real, first-hand experiences. All content on Phuket 101 is original and written in-house, and while many have copied it, our authenticity sets us apart.
Photography and Equipment
Photography is a lifelong passion. Apart from hotel photos, every image on Phuket 101 is original and taken by us. I mostly use a Sony.
Alpha 7C with a 16–35mm F2.8 GM lens, a Canon EOS R, and occasionally an iPhone for convenience. I also fly a DJI Air 2 and DJI Mini 2 drone to capture aerial views of Phuket and beyond. I’m always looking for new angles and places to document and share with travellers.
Media Mentions
Phuket 101 has been featured on CNN and in Thailand’s national newspapers. I was interviewed on French TV for a documentary about Phuket’s recovery after the 2004 tsunami and appeared in Netflix’s “Chefs Uncut” series in 2024, alongside Chef Ton (Chefs Uncut series in 2024).
Languages: French, English, conversational Japanese and conversational Thai
Based in: Phuket & Bangkok, Thailand
Current Focus: Photography, travel writing, content strategy, SEO, and user experience design for travel platforms